EP2581335B1 - Winch handle with lighting - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a winch crank according to the preambles of independent claim 1. Such a winch crank is from the WO 2009/080042 A2 known.

Sailboats or sailing yachts are equipped with winches, which make it possible to trim the sails and to safely absorb and control the forces in the pods and traps. This is generally done by turning the winches with the help of a winch handle.

The winches are known to have a base anchored to the boat with an axle (journals) on which a so-called winch drum is rotatably mounted. Between the winch base and the winch drum is usually a planetary gear for power reduction and a freewheel hub, which blocks the winch in the pulling direction of the sheet or the case.

Transmission and freewheel hub of the winch are subject anyway maintenance investigations, which is why the drum can be removed relatively easily from the base.

The winches are a key feature of any sailboat and must function safely and operate in any situation. For operation, in turn, the above winch crank is necessary, without which the winch itself is not operable.

Even with winches with external drive by a hydraulic or electric motor, the winch handle to operate the winches in case of failure of the external drive is advantageous.

Without a winch or a winch crank, a sailboat becomes almost unable to maneuver, which can lead to corresponding strong, unfavorable wind conditions up to a capsize or sinking or grounding. Especially when driving at night in the dark, a loss of the winch handle or a failure to locate the winch handle fatal consequences. In addition, the raised from the ship's upper deck winches pose a risk of tripping and injury to the boat crew, which is especially in the dark at night driving is not to be underestimated.

In particular, in harsh sea conditions it is therefore always stumbling and injuries to the winch, which can lead in harsh sea conditions and extreme slopes up to the loss of a crew member by "man overboard".

The winch handle is usually changed between the starboard side and port-side winch and also stored to avoid injury and stumbling when not in use in the cockpit. Especially in the dark, it may be due to carelessness that the winch handle goes overboard. This entails the above-described consequences of the inoperability of the winches.

To avoid these problems when driving at night or when driving with reduced visibility (fog, storm, rain, etc.), it is important to keep the lighting on deck as low as possible, so that the pupils do not adapt to the brightness and in the dark lake environment can no longer be perceived, because the eyes are blinded.

An illumination of the entire cockpit is therefore not possible. Important instruments, such as compass, log, GPS, etc., are therefore dimly lit and can be read, but do not dazzle.

Object of the present invention is therefore to propose a new winch and a new winch handle, which allow safe work on the winches with reduced or poor visibility.

This object is achieved by the present invention according to the teaching of claim 1.

According to the invention the above object is achieved by a winch crank with a crank arm and an actuating handle, wherein the actuating handle is rotatably supported by a shaft on the crank arm, and wherein the shaft is formed by a hollow shaft, and wherein in the cavity of the hollow shaft, a light source is attached ,

As is known, a bearing with a bearing shaft is used in winch cranks for supporting the operating handle on the crank arm. This bearing shaft has always been designed as a massive solid shaft.

According to the invention, a hollow shaft is used instead to fasten in the cavity of the hollow shaft, a light source. Thus, as a result, the light source is located within the handle in the cavity of the hollow shaft.

The light source can be permanently installed within the hollow shaft, but can also be designed removable. As access to a permanently installed light source within the hollow shaft, for example, access through the cover of the operating handle is suitable.

The energy can be supplied via batteries or via supply lines, which are routed via contact connections to the winch in the boat interior to the on-board power supply. This also allows charging the batteries of the bulb.

The light source is thus releasably connected to the winch crank. This ultimately lights up the winch handle and is better visible in poor visibility.

This offers particular advantages while the winch handle is mounted on the winch, for example to prevent injuries and tripping. When unassembled, for example, when the winch is in the cockpit or on a bench seat, the winch handle for the boat crew is also clearly visible. This can be a bumping and thus go overboard the winch handle be prevented. Finally, the winch handle can also be used as a lamp on the way to the winch on the foredeck.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the luminous means is aligned such that the light is emitted in the direction opposite to the actuating arm relative to the crank arm.

In the mounted on the winch condition so the winch crank downwards, which on the one hand prevents dazzling of the boat crew and on the other hand offers the advantage that the light source in the winch handle is usable as a reading lamp, for people sitting on a bench in the cockpit are located.

In addition, a deflection can be provided at the light outlet of the winch crank. This deflection device can be fastened, for example, to the light source or to the hollow shaft. The deflection can be formed for example by a spherical reflector. This allows alignment of the light cone.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the lighting means is fixed by means of a clamping element in the cavity of the hollow shaft. This can prevent falling out of the bulb from the hollow shaft of the winch crank.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the luminous means comprises at least one light-emitting diode. Light-emitting diodes are particularly energy-efficient and can be flexibly arranged due to their small size.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the lighting means is formed by a flashlight. This allows a multi-functionality of the light source used. The flashlight, which is carried in many cases anyway, can be dismantled, for example, for a shore leave in the harbor. In addition, the bulb is easy to disassemble by using a flashlight for maintenance purposes.

Figur 1

eine Explosionsansicht einer nicht beanspruchten Winsch mit Leuchtmittel;

Figur 2

eine Winschbasis und eine Winschtrommel in perspektivischer Ansicht;

Figur 3

eine an einem Boot montierte Winschbasis im Querschnitt;

Figur 4

eine auf eine Winschbasis aufgesetzte Winschtrommel in perspektivischer Ansicht;

Figur 5

eine auf eine Winschbasis aufgesetzte Winschtrommel im Querschnitt;

Figuren 6a bis 6d

vier weitere Möglichkeiten des Aufbaus einer nicht beanspruchten Winsch mit verschiedenen Anordnungsmöglichkeiten des Leuchtmittels;

Figur 7

eine Explosionsansicht einer Winschkurbel gemäß der Erfindung mit Leuchtmittel; und

Figur 8

einen Querschnitt durch eine Winschkurbel gemäß der Erfindung mit Leuchtmittel.

Several embodiments of an unclaimed winch and an embodiment of a winch crank according to the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained below by way of example. It shows:

FIG. 1

an exploded view of an unclaimed winch with bulbs;

FIG. 2

a winch base and a winch drum in perspective view;

FIG. 3

a boat-mounted winch base in cross section;

FIG. 4

a mounted on a winch base winch drum in perspective view;

FIG. 5

a patch on a winch base winch drum in cross section;

FIGS. 6a to 6d

four other ways of building a not claimed winch with different arrangement options of the bulb;

FIG. 7

an exploded view of a winch crank according to the invention with lighting means; and

FIG. 8

a cross section through a winch crank according to the invention with lighting means.

FIG. 1 shows an unclaimed winch (1) in exploded view. The winch drum (2) has a lower winch drum section (3) and an upper winch drum section (4). On the winch drum (2) a winch head (5) is arranged, which allows the approach of a winch crank.

Optionally, a fixing device (14) can be arranged between the winch drum (2) and the winch head (5), depending on the winch type, and has the task of fixing the case to be operated.

The lighting means (6) is designed here as a combination of active lighting means (7) and passive lighting means (8).

The active light source (7) is designed in the form of a light cord made of wound EL foil (EL = electroluminescence) and the passive light source (8) is designed as a colored, transparent plastic ring. The wound EL foil produces a uniformly distributed light. It is possible to use a monochrome luminescent cord or to use a color-switchable luminescent cord.

For mounting on the sailboat (9), first shims (10) are placed on the sailboat (9) to space an annular plate (11). The spacing of the annular plate (11) through the washers (10) has the particular advantage that water can drain through the distance.

Next, the active light source (7), here the light string, through the recess in the sailboat (9), through the washer (10) and through a recess in the annular plate (11), connected to the boat inside to the electrical supply to be able to. The light string then comes to rest on the annular plate. Alternatively, the power can also be supplied via a battery.

Then the passive illuminant (8), here the colored, transparent plastic ring with a to the active light source (7) fitting groove is placed.

In other words, the light string comes to rest in the groove in the colored, transparent plastic ring.

Thus, the colored, transparent plastic ring is irradiated from the inside by the light string. This results in an indirect, non-dazzling illumination.

To relieve the force of the light bulb (6) flanged bushes (12) through the light bulb (6) are inserted through. Then the winch base (13) is arranged and bolted through the cover laminate of the sailboat (9) by flanged bushes (12) and lighting means (6).

The plastic ring is frictionally mounted between the annular plate (11) and the winch base (13). In other words, a force input via the winch base on the flanged bushes on the annular plate (11) is passed.

Alternatively, the active illuminant (7) can also be inserted into the groove of the passive luminous means (8), then the annular plate (11) can be brought together as a cover with the passive illuminant (8) so that the entire unit can be handled as a preassembled component becomes. Annular plate (11) and passive lamp (8) then form a quasi housing around the active lamp (7) and are waterproof designed by gluing.

To carry out the connection of the active light source (7), one of the fastening screws is hollow inside, whereby a power supply without additional drilling in the deck can be realized.

Between winch base 13 and bulb 6 can also be optional depending on winch type still a winch base 15 order.

FIG. 2 shows the winch base (13) mounted on the sailboat (9). Evident is the guided by an inside hollow screw light string as an active light source (7), as well as the kraftentlastete, colored, transparent plastic ring as a passive light source (8).

FIG. 3 shows the facts FIG. 2 in cross section.

FIG. 4 shows the on the not visible here winch base (13) rotatably mounted winch drum (2). The passive light source (8) is arranged between the boat (9) and the winch base (13).

FIG. 5 shows the facts FIG. 4 in cross section.

FIGS. 6a to 6d show four possible unclaimed winch types with different arrangement options of the bulb 6. The winches shown can be driven manually and / or with third-party drive.

FIG. 6a shows a standard winch without winch base. The light source is here between the boat 9 and winch drum 2 and between winch drum 2 and 5 winch head.

FIG. 6b shows a standard winch with winch base 15. The light source is here between the boat 9 and winch base 15, between the winch base 15 and winch drum 2 and between the winch drum 2 and 5 winch head arranged.

FIG. 6c shows a self-locking winch without winch base. This winch moreover has a fixing device 14. The light source is here between the boat 9 and winch drum 2, between winch drum 2 and fixing device 14 (in the figure not visible) and between fixing device 14 and 5 winch head.

FIG. 6d shows a self-locking winch with winch base 15. This winch also has a fixing device 14 on. The light source is here between boot 9 and winch base 15, between winch base 15 and winch drum 2, between winch drum 2 and fixing device 14 (not visible in the figure) and between fixing device 14 and 5 winch head.

FIG. 7 shows a winch crank (20) according to the invention in exploded view. On the crank arm (21) is rotatably mounted on a bearing with a hollow shaft (22) an actuating handle (23).

In the hollow shaft (22) from below a lighting means (24) is arranged. The lighting means (24) is secured by a resilient clamping ring (25) from falling out of the hollow shaft (22).

The light source (24) is designed here as a flashlight, for example a mini-Maglite. So that a flashlamp can not be completely pushed into the hollow shaft, a spacer element can be provided in the interior of the hollow shaft, which at least partially fills the interior of the hollow shaft.

FIG. 8 shows the facts FIG. 7 in cross section. The flashlight torch can be easily pulled out of the hollow shaft (22) especially for maintenance purposes, replacement of battery or LED.

The luminous means (24) is arranged such that the light is emitted in the direction A opposite the actuating handle (23) relative to the crank arm (21). Thus, the winch crank (20) can serve as a reading lamp, in particular in the mounted on the winch (1) state.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

winch

2

winch drum

3

lower winch drum section

4

upper winch drum section

5

Winschkopf

6

Lamp

7

active light source

8th

passive light source

9

sailboat

10

washers

11

annular plate

12

collar bushing

13

winch base

14

fixing

15

Winschsockel

20

winch

21

crank

22

hollow shaft

23

operating handle

24

Lamp

25

clamping ring

Claims (5)

1. A winch crank (20) having a crank arm (21) and an actuating handle (23), wherein the actuating handle (23) is supported at the crank arm (21) by means of a shaft so as to be rotatable,
   characterised in that
   the shaft is formed by a hollow shaft (22) and in that a light source (24) is fastened in the hollow space of the hollow shaft (22).
2. The winch crank according to claim 1, characterised in that
   the light source (24) is justified such that the light is emitted in the direction (A) which is opposite to the actuating handle (23) relative to the crank arm (21).
3. The winch crank according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that
   the light source (24) is fixed in the hollow space of the hollow shaft (22) by means of a clamping element (25).
4. The winch crank according to one of claims 1 to 3,
   characterised in that the light source (24) comprises at least one light-emitting diode.
5. The winch crank according to one of claims 1 to 4,
   characterised in that the light source (24) is formed by an electric torch.

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